An Elder Pilgrim's Reflections

Brookgreen gardens, S.C. "What do you think?  A man had two sons; he went to the first and said,  ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’   He answered, ‘I will not,’ but later he changed his mind and went.  The father went to the second and said the same,  and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?" (from Mt. 21:23-32 ) After longtime Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek passed away, many wondered who could possibly replace him.  Ken Jennings, famous for his record 74-game winning streak, seemed an unlikely choice to some. Yet what many saw as a limitation became his greatest strength.  The former contestant became the host, proving that people often overlook what is right in front of them. That story recalls Jesus' teaching in Matthew 21:33-46. In this parable, a vineyard owner sends servants to collect fruit from his tenants.  Instead of honoring the owner, the tenants abuse and kill them....

Tillman Ravine Good and upright is the Lord ;      therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right      and teaches them his way. (from Psalm 25  ) Life has a weird way of throwing us into total chaos. That's what happened when I used GPS going to my nephew’s wedding.  A one-hour trip took almost 4 hours mostly because I'm not familiar with GPS resulting in feeling completely disoriented, super anxious, with no idea what to do next. Elaine took a roadmap from the glove compartment which gave us some clue about what to do next. Reading these verses from Psalm 25 helped me see a divine roadmap for direction and peace. In this honest prayer, King David shows us three simple mind shifts to make when we need a breakthrough: Shift your focus: David starts by praying using verse 1: "To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul."   When stress hits, we tend to obsess over worst-case scenarios. Trusting God doesn’t mean your p...

"And should I not be concerned about  Nineveh,  that great city, in which there are  more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left and also many animals?” (From  Jonah 3:10-4:11 ) What if the most challenging part of the Bible isn’t a strict rule, but the fact that God loves the people we find hardest to like? "The Jonah Complex" is just a fancy term for a very human habit: wrapping ourselves up in our own little world and closing our hearts to people who are different from us. This happened at the very end of Jonah’s story in 4:11. God asks a question that really cuts to the heart: "Should I not have compassion on Nineveh?" Jonah, furious because God chose to forgive Nineveh, a city known for being Israel’s cruel enemy, threw a tantrum because a leafy plant providing him shade withered and died. God gently points out how backward Jonah's priorities are. Jonah is heartbroken over a short-lived plant...

  Then Peter came and said to him, 'Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?'" (From Mt.18:21-35 ) Sin, Grace, and forgiveness are important themes in Christianity. Sin is anything that goes against God's will, including wrong actions, harmful thoughts, and selfish choices. The Bible teaches that everyone sins. As Romans 3:23 (NRSVue) states, "since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Sin can damage our relationship with God and with other people, often leading to guilt, pain, and broken relationships. However, through God's grace, undeserved love and mercy, given freely, people are offered forgiveness and a fresh start. A key passage is Peter asking Jesus if there was a limit to forgiveness. Jesus responded that forgiveness should be offered again and again, showing that God's mercy has no limits. This teaches Christians that forgiving others is an important part of ...

"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end ." ( from Psalm 119:33-40 ) There is a scary but exciting feeling when life forces us to change, hoist our sails and head into open, unknown waters. We stand at the edge of what we know, looking at a future that promises new beginnings but also unexpected challenges. It is exciting to run after new goals, but without a strong anchor, the winds of change can easily make us feel lost and broken. Whether starting a new job, moving to a new town, or dealing with a sad loss, big changes bring a lot of uncertainty. The familiar life we knew disappears, leaving us to build a new routine in a totally strange place. During these shaky times, Psalm 119:33 gives us the steady anchor we need  "Teach me, Lord, the way of your statutes, that I may observe it to the end." When everything around you is changing, your heart needs something that stays the same. This verse is a perfect prayer for times of ch...

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." (from Matthew 16:21-28 ) In Matthew 16:24-25, Jesus gives a challenge that seems backward: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and accept their cross and follow me.”   Jesus then says that whoever tries to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Jesus sake will find it. In a world that tells us to put ourselves first, Jesus calls us to put our Redeemer first. Denying ourselves means choosing God's way over our own desires. Taking up our cross means following Jesus even when it is difficult, uncomfortable, or costly. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a powerful, was a German pastor during World War II. As Adolf Hitler's influence grew, many people stayed silent out of fear. Bonhoeffer, however, believed that fo...